Scottish FA Youth Cup Final Preview: Aberdeen v Hibernian

On Thursday night a healthy crowd is expected for the eagerly-anticipated Scottish FA Youth Cup Final showdown between Aberdeen and Hibernian.

The Dons pushed Hibs all the way in the SPFL Development League, only to lose out to the capital club in the end, so they travel south in search of revenge and a first taste of success in this competition since 2001 – when they saw off Celtic 2-0.

The Hibees, intent on doing the Double, can look back to 2009 and a dramatic 2-1 defeat of Rangers.

Paul Sheerin’s men disposed of Edusport, Hamilton, Ross County and Kilmarnock along the way.

Grant Murray’s side took care of East Kilbride, Inverness Caley Thistle, Greenock Morton and Celtic.

Now all roads lead to Hampden…

Thoughts from the dugout:

Paul Sheerin

I think it’s been too long for a club of Aberdeen’s size not to have got a development team to this stage but the boys have earned it. They’ve been really good this season.

We’d really like to go on and win it, though we know we face a stiff test against a Hibs team who deserve credit for winning the Development League.

They’ve been a good group and a lot of them have come all the way through our system together. So it’s great that they’ve had this game to look forward to.

They realise the importance of the game and, I think, a lot of it will come down to how they handle the occasion, to play at Hampden.

I want them to enjoy it and savour the experience but not to get lost in it.

It’s good that they’re being tested in that respect because it can’t just be about talent. It’s about mentality as well so we’ll find out a few things about them.

Grant Murray

They’re really looking forward to it. They’re still on a high from winning the Development League last week, but they know that will have no bearing on this game.

It’s a fresh challenge. They have to go and make the most of it. They’re a tight group and they deserve to enjoy the occasion.

I don’t like to pick out individual players but Fraser Murray, Oli Shaw and Ryan Porteous really set the standard. It’s just the type of characters that they are.

They’ve had a bit of the limelight because they’ve featured in the first team but they also want to achieve as a group. Ryan’s been the skipper and he’s a natural leader.

We expect Aberdeen will come down the road confident of winning.

Aberdeen are strong throughout the age-groups and they’re represented in Scotland squads.

They beat us earlier in the season in the league after we put them out of the cup last year so there’s probably not much in it.

Hopefully our boys can perform on the night and do themselves justice. We want to play well but it’s more important that we win.